Auto-provisioning edge devices in a communication network using control plane communications

Abstract

In one embodiment, a network controller identifies a first sign of life for an edge device in a communication network (e.g., when the network controller receives an encapsulated workflow request for the edge device over a control plane of the communication network). The network controller further imports the encapsulated workflow request from the edge device over the control plane, determines configuration parameters for a tenant and a tenant network from the encapsulated workflow request, and transmits the configuration parameters to the edge device to provision the edge device for the tenant according to the configuration parameters.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 identifying, by a network device, an edge device in a communication network based on an encapsulated workflow request received from the edge device identifying a tenant and a tenant network; 
 determining, by the network device, configuration parameters for the tenant and the tenant network from the request; and 
 transmitting, by the network device, the configuration parameters to the edge device to provision the edge device for the tenant according to the configuration parameters. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein,
 the request further identifies a trunk port for the edge device, and 
 the method further comprises:
 selecting, by the network device, the edge device from a plurality of edge devices in the communication network for provisioning to the tenant based on the trunk port for the edge device. 
 
 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 updating, by the network device, a table that maps provisioned edge devices for corresponding tenants. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 monitoring, by the network device, data packets exchanged between a plurality of edge switches in the communication network for identifying the edge device. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 withdrawing, by the network device, control plane routes in a Virtual Routing and Forwarding table from the edge device to release the edge device from provision when traffic for a workflow service corresponding to the request is idle for a period of time. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein,
 the edge device is provisioned to service a plurality of workflows for the tenant, and 
 the method further comprises:
 transmitting, by the network device, default configuration parameters to the edge device to release the edge device from provision when traffic for each workflow service corresponding to each request is idle for a period of time. 
 
 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying identifies the edge device further comprises identifying the edge device when the network device receives a first packet of the request for the edge device over a control plane. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the control plane is an Ethernet Virtual Private Network- Network Layer Reachability Information (EVPN-NLRI) Route-Type 2. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tenant network is a virtual local access network (VLAN) and the tenant is identified by a Media Access Control/Internet Protocol (MAC/IP) address. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the configuration parameters to the edge device, further comprises:
 transmitting, by the network device, the configuration parameters to a plurality of edge devices to provision each edge device of the plurality of edge devices for the tenant according to the configuration parameters. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 initiating, by the network device, a default configuration for the edge device to broadcast each request in the communication network before identifying the edge device. 
 
     
     
       12. A network device, comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 at least one memory configured to store instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the functions of:
 identifying an edge device in a communication network based on an encapsulated workflow request received from the edge device identifying a tenant and a tenant network; 
 determining configuration parameters for the tenant and the tenant network from the request; and 
 transmitting the configuration parameters to the edge device to provision the edge device for the tenant according to the configuration parameters. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The network device of  claim 12 , wherein the execution of the instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform the function of:
 importing the request from the edge device over a control plane in the communication network using an Ethernet Virtual Private Network (EVPN) protocol. 
 
     
     
       14. The network device of  claim 12 ,
 wherein,
 the request further identifies a trunk port for the edge device, and 
 the execution of the instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform the function of:
 selecting the edge device from a plurality of edge devices in the communication network for provisioning to the tenant based on the trunk port for the edge device. 
 
 
 
     
     
       15. The network device of  claim 12 , wherein the execution of the instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform the function of:
 updating a table stored in the at least one memory that maps provisioned edge devices for corresponding tenants. 
 
     
     
       16. The network device of  claim 12 , the execution of the instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform the function of:
 monitoring data packets exchanged between a plurality of edge switches in the communication network for identifying the edge device. 
 
     
     
       17. The network device of  claim 13 ,
 wherein,
 the edge device is provisioned to service a plurality of workflows for the tenant, and 
 the execution of the instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform the function of:
 withdrawing control plane routes in a Virtual Routing and Forwarding table from the edge device to release the edge device from provision when a traffic for each workflow service for a corresponding request is idle for a period of time. 
 
 
 
     
     
       18. The network device of  claim 12 , wherein the execution of the instructions further cause the one or more processors to identify the edge device when the network device receives a first packet of request for the edge device over a control plane. 
     
     
       19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the functions of:
 identifying, by a network device, an edge device in a communication network based on an encapsulated workflow request received from the edge device identifying a tenant and a tenant network; 
 determining configuration parameters for the tenant and the tenant network from the request; and 
 transmitting the configuration parameters to the edge device to provision the edge device for the tenant according to the configuration parameters. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 19 ,
 wherein,
 the request further identifies a trunk port for the edge device, and 
 the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to perform the function of:
 selecting the edge device from a plurality of edge devices in the communication network for provisioning to the tenant based on the trunk port for the edge device.